Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-11-18
A Frank Word to Our Republican
Friends.

You have made one Of the strongest
aud most hopeful fights in this State ever
made. You have been defeated. To you
that defeat is dark with portent. You
can't understand the Providence that per
mits It, II has been TO many OF you like
II great personal ailliction. God forbid
that we should pay anything hippahtly to
wound yuur feelings mure deeply. But
here is future to he looked into, and
hard feelings can undo nothing. The
Democratic patty IL again re-eslablishlng
in power in this most important State,
aud that means Ivy the open confession Of
Republican, leaders, probable national
victory for that party again in 1888,
This would be n national calamity, COM
posed us the Democratic party IL, In the
doubtful States. which dominate in i,s
councis-such States us New YORK, Mas
sachusetts Illinois, Idiana, Ohio-such
victory ti,eans national disaster and the
triumph OF the worser elements OF society.
Whatever the Democratic party may be
in the Southern States, the policy of the
national Damocrotic party is dominated by
the lower elements OF the large Northern
cities,
Repubicans,t this thing can he prevented,
But not by our calling each other hard
names Talk M we please about the Re-
publican party's being defeated by the In
dependents or the Prohibitionis,s, or the
Personal bibertyites, there is cause
back OF it all and beneath all. 1t is this:
The Republican party has lost its grea,
vilalizing moral issues that alone bound
together its various elements IN the past
The cohesive power OF public plunder," I"
possessed here in the north so abundantly
by the Democratic power, can be and must
be counleracled by the cohesive power of
a great moral issue that shall once more
bind in one good citizens of both old par
ties, of all classes, and OF al sections.
That issue cannot be what you choose or
what we choosej it must be what God AL
mighty chooses. We can't nuke 1t to
order TO meet our political exlgencies.
Genuine issues are not made by parties;
they make the parties. The issues of sla-
very was forced back and down by the
political leaders of both great parties just as
long as they could do 20. 1t came to the
front, not because those leaders got ready
to take IT, but because in the PrOvi-
dence of God they couldn't postpone the
day longer.
History repeats itself. God is forcing
upon the nnlion, in spite of the resistance
Of party leaders, thus great moral issue oi
the drink question. Until the moral ele-
ments of the nation, Republican aud Dem
ocsatic, accept that issue and crystslize
around it, the triumph OF the baser ele-
menls IL sure. Why can't we see thisi
Why can't we accept this issue put forth
not by the Prohibition party, but by the
Ruler OF nations through the Prohibition
party, combine about it, settle it right and
settle it forever And why not cut the
agony short by doing ii before another
Presidential election comes around?
This never can be done in the old party
New wine must not be put into old hot
ties. The sectional character OF that
party prevents. The antagonisms of the
past prevent. A million of graves in the
North and the South prevent. Call II
what you please. hut let us without delay
| gather around this Issue in a new party
that proposes 10 settle this question, moi
on the basis OF political exlgency. Int OF
the hssis of everlasting right. This is ih'
only way to
Puiusrire The Democratic party.